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What do the clauses look like? Do they actually mention "Israel" by name? Could it perhaps be poorly drafted clauses that are meant to convey a requirement that

by dhx 5y ago

What do the clauses look like? Do they actually mention "Israel" by name? Could it perhaps be poorly drafted clauses that are meant to convey a requirement that contractors to the government must equally consider procuring goods and services for the government from all countries and/or suppliers without bias of personal preference or opinion?

ComputerGuru 5y ago
These are anti-BDS laws specifically and only banning boycotts of Israeli goods (yes, by name). This site indexes them happily: https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/anti-bds-legislation https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/anti-bds-legislation Here’s the Texas info, for example: Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed HB89, an act relating to state contracts with and investments in companies that boycott Israel, on May 2, 2017. The bill prohibits the State of Texas from contracting or entering into business with companies or entities involved in the BDS movement against Israel. The law ensures that public funds will not go to companies that participate in BDS. In 2019, Texas started to divest $72 million worth of stock in the Norwegian financial services firm DNB ASA. Two state pension funds – the Employees Retirement System of Texas and Texas Permanent School Fund — own $68 million and $4 million, respectively, in stock in the company. This is the first action taken under the anti-boycott legislation. In April 2019, a U.S. District Judge ruled in favor of Bahia Amawi, a former speech pathologist who sued the state over the law after she was fired from her job for supporting BDS. The court found “the statute to be a viewpoint-based restriction intended not to combat discrimination on the basis of national origin, but to silence speech with which Texas disagrees.” In response, the legislature rewrote the language limiting the application of the law to companies with more than 10 full-time employees and contracts of more than $100,000 with the state. The governor signed the bill.
- fennecfoxen 5y ago
  Israel is mentioned by name because that’s who all the boycotts are against. Notice, though, the stark difference between the legality of Texas’s own divestment and the firing of a Texas employee for an opinion. Plenty of states boycotting plenty of things; that’s normal. California bans official travel to 18 different US states (with limited exceptions to pursue taxes, and the like) over their lgbt-related laws, and CalPERS divests from oil and tobacco and the like.
CodesInChaos 5y ago
These laws are specifically about Israel: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-BDS_laws https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-BDS_laws
bluGill 5y ago
No, because you are not allowed to trade with Cuba. (there are exceptions, and things have changed a few times since I last looked - if you are interested in trade with Cuba talk to a lawyer to knows this)
- realce 5y ago
  Because of actual sanctions, not because the state of Texas doesn't like it.

by dhx 5y ago

ComputerGuru 5y ago

These are anti-BDS laws specifically and only banning boycotts of Israeli goods (yes, by name). This site indexes them happily: https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/anti-bds-legislation https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/anti-bds-legislation Here’s the Texas info, for example: Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed HB89, an act relating to state contracts with and investments in companies that boycott Israel, on May 2, 2017. The bill prohibits the State of Texas from contracting or entering into business with companies or entities involved in the BDS movement against Israel. The law ensures that public funds will not go to companies that participate in BDS. In 2019, Texas started to divest $72 million worth of stock in the Norwegian financial services firm DNB ASA. Two state pension funds – the Employees Retirement System of Texas and Texas Permanent School Fund — own $68 million and $4 million, respectively, in stock in the company. This is the first action taken under the anti-boycott legislation. In April 2019, a U.S. District Judge ruled in favor of Bahia Amawi, a former speech pathologist who sued the state over the law after she was fired from her job for supporting BDS. The court found “the statute to be a viewpoint-based restriction intended not to combat discrimination on the basis of national origin, but to silence speech with which Texas disagrees.” In response, the legislature rewrote the language limiting the application of the law to companies with more than 10 full-time employees and contracts of more than $100,000 with the state. The governor signed the bill.

fennecfoxen 5y ago
Israel is mentioned by name because that’s who all the boycotts are against. Notice, though, the stark difference between the legality of Texas’s own divestment and the firing of a Texas employee for an opinion. Plenty of states boycotting plenty of things; that’s normal. California bans official travel to 18 different US states (with limited exceptions to pursue taxes, and the like) over their lgbt-related laws, and CalPERS divests from oil and tobacco and the like.

CodesInChaos 5y ago

These laws are specifically about Israel: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-BDS_laws https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-BDS_laws

bluGill 5y ago

No, because you are not allowed to trade with Cuba. (there are exceptions, and things have changed a few times since I last looked - if you are interested in trade with Cuba talk to a lawyer to knows this)

realce 5y ago
Because of actual sanctions, not because the state of Texas doesn't like it.